


How Bright You Are, Brilliant Dream

by Kattythingz



Series: I Dream of Stars [4]
Category: Danny Phantom
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - No Ghosts, Astronerd Danny, But Phantom is a good boyfriend dw, Danny's dealt with some shit, Dorks in Love, Drama, Ellie is Phantom's cousin, Established Relationship, Fluff, Friendship, Hurt/Comfort, Idiots in Love, It Gets Better, Jock Phantom, Kwan is a good best friend, M/M, Prom, Promposal Gone Wrong, Romance, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Vlad is his rich uncle, cursing, kind of, they're both nervous wrecks someone help them
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-26
Updated: 2020-11-26
Packaged: 2021-03-10 07:35:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 12,160
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27729613
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kattythingz/pseuds/Kattythingz
Summary: “What did I say, dumbass?” Kwan groans. “Stop that! You’re digging yourself into a nonexistent hole!”“But-”“Phantom, if you sayone moreword about Fenton rejecting you, Iwillpunch you.”“Okay, okay, I’m calm,” Phantom exhales.OR: In which Phantom's promposal does not go as planned, Danny's all over the place, and emotions are a tricky thing when it comes to past trauma. Ft. emotional talks, understanding boyfriends, and shameless fluff.
Relationships: Danny Fenton/Danny Phantom
Series: I Dream of Stars [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1720327
Comments: 14
Kudos: 36





	1. From Your Trials

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Foxrox12](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Foxrox12/gifts).



> HELLO HELLO! 
> 
> Did I seriously spend 4 days writing a prom fic when I have like 2 others WIPs? Yes. Yes I did. But I NEEDED to get this out for two reasons; one, I have no self-control (as evident by the 12K word-count), and two, I owed it to an amazing friend of mine.
> 
> Foxrox12, when we started this au, I was still unsure about a lot of things, but then we planned out something so precious and adorable, and thus started my grand pitch pearl spree. Truly, I wouldn't be here without you. No joke. You helped me through every step of this monster, even when I just wanted to scream, and I am eternally grateful to you. Not just for your help, but for the friendship you've offered me. So, here's to you, friend.
> 
> DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN DANNY PHANTOM.

Phantom is used to people defining his entire character in one word: jock. He hates how superficial it is, but he’s accepted long ago that people associate the word with a mold that doesn’t fit him at all. 

But there _are_ people that know Phantom better than that. Like Kwan, who knows him as a best friend; annoying and silly at times, but caring and loyal at other times, never one to walk away when his friend needs him. And Kwan _knows_ that. He makes fun of Phantom, even openly laughs when all he wants to do is sink into the ground out of embarrassment, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t dependable.

Phantom _knows_ his best friend, and he knows that, despite all the times he’s wanted to throw a football at Kwan’s head, he’s always there for him, and always will be.

And for the longest time, Kwan was the only one. 

And then, one faithful day during sophomore year as he was pathetically struggling to open his locker, he met _him_. With eyes as blue as the sky and hair as black as the night, he was the cutest boy Phantom had ever seen. 

His name was Danny, and for an entire year, it seemed like he was just a dream. Something so beautiful and perfect that Phantom could never touch. So, he pined from a distance and enjoyed the dream as best as he could.

But then, the dream was no longer a dream. Then the dream became a _reality_. Then Danny became his _boyfriend_.

And not only that, but he also joined Kwan on Phantom’s list of trusted friends! Danny made it look so easy to just look past his label and right into his heart. Made it look so easy to smile at Phantom, even when he broke every jock stereotype known to man. 

No, that’s exactly why Danny made the list. Because, just like Kwan, he looked past the rumors. But this time, it’s different somehow. Kwan is a fellow jock, so he understands Phantom’s position, but Danny is, as the school would dub him, a nerd. Phantom had honestly expected the warming-up part to happen much later. Or never.

Yet, no matter how many months have passed since then, Phantom can still feel his nerves buzz at the moment. 

“Dude, calm down,” Kwan’s voice snaps him out of his thoughts.

“But what if-”

“ _No_ ,” Kwan interrupts. He places a hand on Phantom’s shoulder, sending him a reassuring smile. “You worked hard on this promposal. He’ll _love_ it.”

“You think so?” Phantom asks, fumbling with the book in his hand. “I just… what if he _doesn’t,_ and he refuses? What if he doesn’t like dances? Oh my god, what if he thinks I’m pressuring him because I’m a jock and I need to go with a date?” The more he rambled, the more his nerves sparked and burned, until he’s buzzing with dreadful energy. “Holy shit, _Kwan-_ ”

“What did I _say_ , dumbass?” Kwan groans. “Stop that! You’re digging yourself into a nonexistent hole!”

“But-”

“Phantom, if you say _one more_ word about Fenton rejecting you, I _will_ punch you.”

“Okay, okay, I’m calm,” Phantom exhales. 

“Look, I get why you’re nervous,” Kwan says. “But this is _Fenton_. He knows you. Whatever nonsense you just vomited, he won’t think of it at all.”

“Okay,” he takes another breath. “You’re right.”

“Of course, I am,” Kwan rolls his eyes. “I’ve watched you two be disgusting for, like, months. I know my shit, Phantom.”

“Am I supposed to be sorry?” he grins. “Because I’m not.”

Kwan looks annoyed when he answers, “I know that, too. You two are absolutely shameless.”

“Nah, we just like to mess with you. We’re usually not so PDA-ish.”

Kwan twitches dangerously. “Excuse me?”

“You heard me,” Phantom smirks. “Danny gets really shy outside of school, you know? But he’s not innocent either.”

“I should have known,” Kwan mutters. “You’re _both_ little shits.”

Just to be nice, Phantom doesn’t laugh. Much. 

Noticing Phantom’s stifled grin, Kwan glares at him. “Oh, _please_. Just laugh. I know you want to.”

And he was _going to_. But then, he sees movement behind Kwan, and the face attached to the movement pulls his laughter to a screeching halt. 

Kwan’s expression shifts. Without looking back, he says, “Get ready to eat your worries.”

They’re standing a good distance away from Danny’s locker, so Phantom can watch his boyfriend’s reaction without making Danny nervous. And while Phantom is thankful Kwan has a larger build than him because it does a good job of hiding him from Danny’s sight, that doesn’t mean Phantom isn’t nervous.

Phantom keeps his eyes on Danny as he works on his lock. It feels like a timer, with each turn ticking at the rate of a minute rather than a second. Then, when the timer finally hits zero, Danny opens his locker-

And a sea of stars spill out.

Danny stumbles back in surprise, and Phantom’s heart reacts similarly. His heart is racing as he watches Danny reach for one paper star and just… stares at it. As an avid Danny expert, Phantom has learned all of his boyfriend’s expressions, and the one he’s wearing now is what he likes to dub fondly as Adorable Fascination™.

But then it shifts when his eyes trail up toward his locker again. More specifically, toward the text Phantom had scrawled onto a terrible depiction of a galaxy which reads, “Will you light up my night at Prom?”

The urge to hide his face in his hands and _scream_ rises again. What was he _thinking_ , using such a cheesy line? _Just look at his face_ , Phantom groans internally _. He looks-_

Phantom pauses when he catches Danny’s changed expression. Gone was his previously fond expression, with lowered brows and an amused smile. Now, with pulled-together eyebrows, his lips aren’t quite smiling anymore. In fact…

 _I made Danny nervous,_ he realizes woefully. _Great going, Phantom._

Danny still isn’t reacting verbally, which _really_ isn’t a good sign. Kwan seems to recognize the lack of response, as he quietly sighs and whispers to Phantom, “Just go talk to him.”

“R-Right, but what do I-”

And before he can even finish, Kwan is stepping away, and now Phantom is well within Danny’s sights. Almost immediately, blue eyes lock onto him, and there goes that lump in his throat again.

“Phantom?” the way Danny says his name, meekly and quietly, does things to Phantom’s wavering heart, and he isn’t sure it’s all good. “Is this…?”

Taking a deep breath, Phantom steps forward. He can do this. He’s practiced what comes after, he _knows_ what to do. Still, any memories of such practice evaporate at the sight of Danny’s open expression, all wide-eyed and disbelieving. It leaves him scrambling for his words as he says, “Y-Yeah.”

“Oh,” Danny utters. “You really…?”

“Yeah,” he repeats like an _idiot_.

“Oh,” Danny says again, and somehow, that strikes Phantom’s staggering brain. _Danny’s as nervous as I am_ , he thinks. _And I’m just standing here like an idiot, making him more nervous. Step it up, damn it! You’re his_ boyfriend, _act like it!_

Steeling his nerves, Phantom nods to himself. Then, he steps closer to Danny, until there’s only a foot between them. Danny’s eyes catch his own, and his resolve strengthens again. Finding his words at last, he says, “I’m sorry I’m such a mess right now.”

“You are?” Danny asks breathlessly.

“Yeah,” he laughs weakly. “But you deserve better than an indirect approach. So I’m going to do this right.” Reaching for one of Danny’s hands, he cradles it and makes eye-contact. “Will you go with me to prom?”

Now, in his head, there are multiple outcomes Phantom’s predicted. They ranged from a dramatic yell of “yes!” and a deep, deep kiss, to a shyer, more nervous response, accompanied by a glowing smile and shining eyes. Of course, he’d worried about different reactions as well, but contrary to his earlier nerves, those were rather low on his list.

And yet, none of that happened. Instead, a deafening _silence_ follows. It’s uncomfortable and heavy as Danny tears his eyes from Phantom and looks down. 

Swallowing around the lump in his throat, he asks, “Danny?”

“I… This is great, Phantom,” Danny sighs, but it feels like a rush of wind blowing in Phantom’s face. “But…”

“Oh,” he utters. “That means…”

“I’m really sorry, Phantom,” Danny finally looks at him again. And he _does_ look sorry; Phantom can see it in the wideness of his eyes and the trembling of his lips. “But I don’t think dances are my thing. I’m sorry if I was unclear about that. I should have told you before you went through all this trouble-”

“Don’t apologize for that!” He tries for a smile. “It’s not your fault. It’s not the end of the world, you know? It’s just a dance.”

 _It’s just a dance_.

“Okay,” Danny nods meekly. He looks ready to say more, but the sound of the bell’s shrill ringing cuts him off. 

Danny sends him a smile as he tugs at Phantom’s hand. “Let’s get to class, okay?”

Mimicking the clench in his heart, he squeezes Danny’s hand and answers, “Lead the way, starlight.”

Danny guides them toward their next class. And even though they’re holding hands as they always do, Phantom’s smile still falls as soon as Danny looks away from him.

The sting of rejection lingers.

* * *

Phantom’s given up on paying attention to Mr. Lancer’s monotonous voice an hour ago. He’s usually a better student than this, but currently, the only thing bouncing in the caverns of his brain is the fact that _Danny said no_.

He knows he’s overreacting. Danny hadn’t broken up with him or anything ( _thank god_ for that), and he acted like he always did as they walked to class. _Honestly_ , he tries to reason, _you’re just taking this too personally_.

It’s not like Phantom is a huge fan of prom or school dances in general. In fact, he’s never even _been_ to any of the school’s dances, no matter how many times Paulina’s invited him. He always thought they were a drag, and they’d probably drag even _more_ with a date like Paulina. 

But now that he has Danny… he’d hoped they could use this opportunity to make more memories together. Because who knows what comes after high school? Ironically, these are the most carefree years of their lives, and Phantom wants to make the most of them with Danny. He knows it’s silly, but he wants to experience the milestone that is prom with his boyfriend. 

_I guess I have to give up on_ that _milestone_ , Phantom sighs. Burying his face in his arms, he ignores the sudden screaming of the bell above him. Chairs squeak unpleasantly around him as students push out of their chairs and rush outside in a herd of giggles and mumbles.

Feeling no rush to leave, Phantom remains as he is. He knows, in the back of his mind, that he should probably hurry and join Danny for lunch, but… 

He just needs a minute to accept his rejection. Danny deserves better than Phantom acting all depressed just because he refused to go to a stupid dance with him. Knowing Danny, he would feel guilty over rejecting him because Phantom was acting like a kicked puppy.

Now _that_ would definitely make Phantom a grade-A asshole. He wants to show Danny that he _respects_ his decision, and to do that, he needs to avoid that kind of behavior.

“There you are!” a voice cuts through the silence.

Peeking from his arms, Phantom finds that it’s Kwan, standing at the entrance of the classroom with an annoyed look on his face. 

“I’ve been looking all over for you,” Kwan says. “What are you doing here? It’s already lunch. Fenton-”

“Sorry,” Phantom mumbles, lowering his head again. “I just… needed a minute.”

Kwan doesn’t answer, but the aggravated squeaking of a chair being dragged is enough of a reply for Phantom. Finally, the noise stops, and a flash of red and white tells him that Kwan’s plopped onto the chair, right in front of Phantom’s desk.

For a moment, Kwan says nothing. Then, tentatively, “I guess I’m the one eating my words this time.”

Phantom turns his gaze toward his best friend. “What do you mean?”

“I kept reassuring you Fenton would say yes, and now…” Kwan sighs. “I’m really sorry, man. If I had known-”

“It’s not your fault,” Phantom shakes his head. “It’s mine. I shouldn’t have assumed. I was so excited about my plan, I jumped to conclusions.”

“If it isn’t my fault, it’s not yours either,” Kwan argues, but his voice doesn’t have that exasperation Phantom is so used to. 

“I guess,” he relents dejectedly. 

A hand brushes against his shoulder, and Phantom recognizes the gesture as a familiar act of comfort. Loosening slightly, he heaves a sigh. “Kwan, I…”

“I know,” Kwan squeezes his shoulder. “I didn’t expect that either. I honestly thought he’d jump at the chance.”

“Why didn’t he?” Phantom’s voice trembles pathetically. “I know he said he doesn't like dances, but-”

“You thought he’d go if it was with you?”

A pause. “Yeah.”

Kwan pulls his hand away, leaning back in his chair. He seems to contemplate something, judging by the thoughtful expression on his face, before he finally speaks up. “I talked to Fenton’s friends.”

“Why?” Phantom asks. “Danny said no, what’s it matter-”

“It matters a _lot_ , from what I’ve gathered,” Kwan interrupts. “I sincerely respect Fenton’s decision, but after hearing from his friends, I think there’s more to it than not liking dances.”

His curiosity piqued, Phantom lifts his head fully. If anyone but Kwan were saying this, Phantom would call bullshit and ignore them. But this is his best friend, and he’s learned long ago to trust Kwan’s observations, even if he himself couldn’t see them at first. 

Noticing Phantom’s interest, Kwan’s lips twitch. “Well, as it turns out, Fenton’s been to a dance before.”

“Well, _obviously_ ,” Phantom says. “How else would he know he hates them?”

“Right,” Kwan nods. “But here’s the real kicker: his date was _Paulina_.”

That _is_ a kicker. With an odd sense of foreboding in his chest and a lump growing in his throat, his words seem to escape him. “What?”

“And get this,” Kwan barrels through. “Apparently, the night was a _disaster_.”

“Disaster, how?”

“As in…” Kwan pauses, averting his eyes. “Paulina made a complete fool out of Fenton.”

The clock ticks loudly above them, but it holds nothing to the buzz in his veins. Like the aggravating sound of nails to a chalkboard, Kwan’s words rake against his every nerve, until the dread is burning into a crackling _rage_. Phantom had always known that Paulina was a bitch, taking joy in the humiliation of others, and it had always annoyed him. But now, hearing how Danny had been a victim of that...

Phantom takes a deep breath, clenching his fists. “What did she do?”

Kwan gives him a concerned look, but still answers, “Foley refused to tell me, and Manson threatened to kill me if I dared to ask Fenton for the details. I have no idea what happened, but it was bad enough for him to stay away from school for a whole week.”

“I see.”

Phantom exhales. There is a powerful urge to stomp over to Paulina and give her a piece of his mind, but he gets the feeling that this is exactly the kind of reaction she’d enjoy watching. Ever since Phantom’s “dumped” her, despite never having been together, Paulina has been trying to get a rise out of him in any way she can. Any burst of emotion he directed at her, she enjoyed. Either she was just desperate for attention, or this was her sick version of revenge. 

And Phantom is _fine_ with that. He can handle Paulina, he knows what to do or say to drive her away. But Danny…

“Phantom,” Kwan’s voice derails his train of thought.

“What?” He focuses back on his friend.

“I get why you’re pissed, I am, too, but you need to _calm down_ ,” Kwan frowns. “You can’t see Fenton like this. You’ll only scare him, and you know how he pins the blame on himself.”

Phantom absorbs each word, trying to calm his nerves. Kwan’s right, of course. If he were to talk to Danny as he is now, his boyfriend would assume the worst and think Phantom is mad because of the rejection. If he wants to talk to Danny, he needs to keep a cool head. 

Nodding, Phantom exhales. “Sorry.”

“I get it,” Kwan smiles weakly. “I’m tempted to go at her myself, but we both know that’ll only return her attention to Fenton.”

“You’re right,” he closes his eyes. “I just… man, I really messed up, didn’t I?”

“What makes you say that?” Kwan raises a brow.

“He was so _nervous_. I thought it was the good kind, but now that you’re telling me this, it means I totally brought up unpleasant memories!” He pulls at his hair. “ _Fuck._ ”

“Phantom-”

“And I totally skipped lunch, which means Danny is sitting all alone, thinking up a storm of everything _wrong,_ and I’m not there to help him because I was too busy being a _baby_ -”

“Phantom!” Kwan grabs his shoulders, meeting Phantom’s wide eyes. “ _Calm. down._ It’s not too late, alright? You can still fix this.”

“How?” He whispers.

“Just talk to him as soon as you can,” Kwan sends him a reassuring smile, squeezing his shoulders. “It’s Fenton. If you explain to him clearly, with no room for misinterpretation, he’ll understand.”

“What about…” Phantom makes a vague gesture with his hand. “You know.”

Kwan sighs. “You’ll just have to play dumb until he tells you himself.”

“Right, play dumb,” he repeats. “I can do that. I think.”

Huffing out a laugh, Kwan rolls his eyes. “Definitely.”

“What do we do about Paulina, then?” Phantom asks with a small scowl. 

“Ignore her. If not for your sake, then for Fenton’s.”

“For Danny,” he exhales.

“There we go,” Kwan’s expression lifts. He glances at the clock behind him, his grin growing when he notices the time. Turning to Phantom, he smacks his shoulder.

“What now?” he grumbles.

“Dude, look at the time.”

Phantom looks toward the clock. As soon as he registers the displayed time, he can feel his eyes widen. “Oh my god!” He sends Kwan an ecstatic look. “It’s not too late!”

“Damn right it isn’t!” Kwan cheers. “Go to your boyfriend already!”

Phantom stands abruptly, the force of the movement shoving the chair backward. Without looking back, he sprints toward the door, throwing a “thanks a bunch!” over his shoulder.

As soon as he’s gone, Kwan heaves a sigh of relief. He takes the time to put back the chair he was using, and gathers Phantom’s cluttered stuff. He lifts his friend's backpack onto one shoulder and walks out into the hallway. Since Phantom needs to save the day, Kwan can forgive having to drop off his stuff for him. Just this once.

“They better be disgustingly in love by the time they’re back,” he huffs.

* * *

Coach Tetslaff would be _very_ impressed with the speeds he’s running at right now. Or maybe annoyed, since he’s only this energized whenever his boyfriend is watching practice. Yeah, probably annoyed, considering the current finish line in his head is _Danny_ , and nothing else.

Ignoring multiple warnings from teachers and aggravated outbursts from passing students, Phantom makes his way toward the double doors that lead to his and Danny’s usual lunch spot. He reaches the door with a powerful push, the doors flying open and nearly crashing into the walls from the inertia. 

Two tables away, a familiar head of fluffy hair snaps up. And then, curious blue eyes fall onto Phantom, and he has to swallow past the sudden lump in his throat when Danny’s expression twitches slightly. 

“Phantom,” Danny utters in surprise. 

That surprise shouldn’t be there. They always meet up here for lunch, it’s become a ritual at this point. But Phantom knows Danny has every right to feel surprised. All he knows is that he’d rejected his boyfriend’s promposal, and said boyfriend was also _late_ , almost skipping lunch entirely.

“Sorry I’m late,” he pants, trying to catch his breath. Now that he’d stopped, the burn in his legs is really starting to bother him. “I didn’t notice them time.”

Danny blinks, his eyebrows rising. Then his lips twitch into a small smile; and, yup, there goes all of Phantom’s effort to breathe normally. 

“You didn’t have to run,” Danny says. “I would have waited for you, you know?”

“Really?” Such simple words shouldn’t affect him so much, but when they’re connected to such a precious face, he can't help it, okay? He is pathetically weak-kneed for Danny.

Danny gives him a look. “You gonna sit anytime soon?”

“O-Oh, right, yeah,” Phantom nods hastily. He makes his way to the table, plopping down next to Danny. 

Almost immediately, Danny moves closer to him. With their shoulders brushing and their hands intertwined, they settle into a comfortable position of not-quite-cuddling-but-also-cuddling. Phantom tries to stifle his resulting grin, but fails and inevitably smiles. “Missed me that much?” He teases.

“Yeah,” Danny sighs. “Sam and Tucker had something to do, and you weren’t here. I must be spoiled, to be so used to company.” 

“You call it being spoiled, I call it you getting everything you deserve,” Phantom squeezes their joined hands. 

“Oh, yeah?” 

“Yeah.”

Danny lets out a quiet laugh. He leans his head forward, and Phantom can feel Danny’s breath against his lips when he laughs, “You really are a dork.”

“You love it,” he closes the distance, pressing a chaste kiss to Danny’s lips.

He pulls away, taking in the sight of glimmering blue eyes. “Yeah, I do,” Danny agrees.

For a moment, they sit in comfortable silence. Phantom almost forgets why he was in a rush, too busy enjoying the feeling of Danny resting his head on his shoulder. He can spend all day like this, ignoring all his worries and just relaxing with his boyfriend. 

“Phantom?”

He hums. “Yeah?”

“About earlier…”

And there’s the elephant in the room. Phantom stiffens just as Danny lifts his head from his shoulder. “W-What about it?”

Danny’s eyes lower. “I… I just wanted to apologize-”

“For what?” Phantom interrupts. “Being honest?”

“But…” Danny flounders for a moment. “You worked so hard on your promposal! Don’t think I haven’t noticed that you personally cut every one of those stars!”

His cheeks burn. “H-How-?”

“You think I don’t recognize my own boyfriend’s adorably clumsy work?” Danny says fondly. “I notice these things, Phantom.”

“O-Oh,” he stammers. “Were they really that bad?”

“No, they weren’t bad at all,” Danny smiles, but it’s a touch sad. 

“Danny,” Phantom frowns.

“You put so much effort into this,” Danny sighs. “And I turned you down. I’m really sorry, Phantom.”

“Hey,” he gently grabs Danny’s chin, tilting his head so he can meet Phantom’s eyes. “You don’t need to apologize for _any_ of that, starlight. We all have things we like and dislike. I’m not so mean as to force you to agree with me.”

“But-”

“Besides, I don’t think I’d have a good time if you had to pretend the whole time,” Phantom says. “I’m glad you were honest with me. Thank you.”

Danny’s lips tremble. His eyes seem to gloss over, but no tears fall, even as he laughs shakily, “You’re too good for me.”

“Objection,” he grins. “ _You’re_ too good for me.”

Danny looks ready to object, but Phantom silences him with another kiss before he can say anything. This time, it lasts longer, and when they pull away, it feels like slugging through syrup. They don’t even pull away for more than a few inches. 

“You know,” Phantom smirks. “I wouldn’t be opposed to spending the entirety of lunch like this.”

Danny giggles. “I don’t think so. I need to breathe, thank you very much.”

“You’re no fun,” he pouts. “One more?”

Danny puts a placating finger on his lips. “Nope. I still need to use my words.”

“For what?”

Danny falters. Noticing this, Phantom grabs the finger on his lips and pecks it. Predictably, it gets him a beautiful smile. The action seems to encourage Danny, as he squeezes Phantom’s hand and says tentatively, “I know I refused earlier, but…”

“Danny?” his eyes widen.

“Before you came, I was thinking about… a lot of things. But mostly about how it reminded me of why I avoid dances,” Danny looks away. “It’s been two years since then and it feels like nothing has changed, you know?”

Phantom thinks of his meager list of friends. “Yeah,” he says. “I know.”

“Then…” Danny lifts his gaze. “I thought of _who_ was asking me this time.”

“Oh?” he schools his expression. Danny doesn’t need to know that he knows; that would be unfair to him.

“And I remembered what a _dork_ my potential date was. How he pretends to be cool but, really, he’s all about cheesy pickup lines and stupid puns-”

“Hey!”

Danny laughs, but continues, “and I thought, wow, he’s _nothing_ like my old date.”

“Yeah, I’m _better_ ,” Phantom puffs out his chest.

“You are,” Danny agrees, all cute smiles and pretty pink cheeks.

“You’re not doing this right,” he stutters. “You’re supposed to disagree-”

“Why would I lie to you like that?” Danny raises a brow. Then, remembering his previous words, he clears his throat. “A-Anyway, point is, I _really_ thought about it, about how you’re _you_ , and how you can’t flirt to save your life, and I realized…”

“W-What?” Phantom bites his lip.

“That you would never let me have a bad time.”

 _You’re right_ , he thinks, helplessly melting. And not just because of Danny’s words, but also the _implications_ of said words. He hates to sound childish, but-

“Are you saying what I think you’re saying?” Phantom breathes.

Danny inhales. “That depends,” he says slowly. “What do you _think_ I’m saying?”

“That,” he swallows, “You… want to go with me to prom?”

“Then, yeah,” Danny nods, his grip on Phantom’s hand tightening. “I… do want to go with you. I want to erase that memory from two years ago and have _fun_. And I know that my kind, sweet boyfriend will do his best to make that happen.” He shoots Phantom a hopeful smile. “At least, I’m hoping he will?”

“ _Always,_ ” Phantom looks deep into Danny’s eyes, reading every sparkle, every glimmer, and feeling a force grab his heart and gut with a tight, fond, familiar emotion. Like a child desperate for validation, he repeats, “So, that means-”

“ _Yes_ , Phantom,” Danny laughs as Phantom trips over his words. “It means _yes_.”

A surge of euphoria runs through his entire being, and it leaves Phantom speechless. All he can do to convey his joy is lean in just as Danny mimics his action, and presses their lips together.

It’s purely soft, filled with unspoken joy and burning excitement. When they pull away, they don’t go far, and just rest their foreheads together. They look into each other’s eyes for a long, fuzzy moment.

“Isn’t this the part where we agree who picks up the other?” Danny asks teasingly.

“We can do that later,” Phantom answers. “Right now, all I want to do cuddle with my boyfriend until the bell rings.”

“That’s not a bad idea,” Danny smiles.

And so, they do exactly that.

(and end up ten minutes late to class.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> next up: Ellie, prom, and closure.


	2. To Your Delights

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Oh, baby,” Mom cups his face. “You look so handsome.”
> 
> “You picked the suit, Mom.”
> 
> “I know,” she smiles. “But that doesn’t change how good you look in it.”
> 
> “She’s right,” Dad grins. “That boy won’t know what hit him!”
> 
> “That’s what I said!” Jazz laughs.
> 
> “Dad!” if this keeps up, Danny’s cheeks will be permanently red.

The last few months have been something like a dream to Danny. 

It’s not a dream he remembers having before; dating, in all sixteen years of his life, has never once crossed his mind. And it’s not like he _feared_ intimacy, it’s more like he just… wasn’t interested. He’s heard stories of beautiful couples that lifted each other up, and while the _idea_ was certainly romantic, Danny had his friends for that. He didn’t need a romantic partner in order to feel loved. 

Then, Phantom happened, and with him, he brought a whole rabbit hole. He led Danny by the hand… and he tripped right in.

And suddenly, it seems like all he can think of is a _dream_. A dream of holding hands gently. A dream of kissing away a smug expression. A dream of wrapping his arms around strong shoulders. A dream of listening to musical laughter that echoed next to his ear.

If he’s being honest, it threw him off at first. Just like a dream, the thoughts left him dazed and confused. Some days they were vivid, and some days they were vague. But like any dream, the emotions lingered, even when the thoughts slept. 

Having said all that, Danny is so sure he must be lucid dreaming right now. After all, having someone as perfect as _Phantom_ for a _boyfriend_ is just far too ambitious, isn’t it?

 _And yet, here I am_.

“Danny?”

He’s startled out of his thoughts when something pokes his cheek. Blinking, he turns to face Phantom, who has a curious expression on his face and a capped pen in his hand.

“You zoned out on me,” Phantom pouts. “I know physics is boring, but you said you needed the help, didn’t you?”

Danny flushes. “Sorry,” he rubs the back of his neck. “I was just… thinking.”

“That’s what you usually do when solving physics problems, yes,” Phantom grins. 

“Haha,” Danny deadpans. “You’re _hilarious_.”

“It’s a part of my charm,” Phantom says oh-so-humbly. “I can’t help it.”

“Uh-huh,” he rolls his eyes. “Totally.”

“No need to be shy, starlight,” Phantom smirks. “I mean, how _else_ would I have wooed you?”

“It can’t _possibly_ be because you’re a genuinely nice person.”

“That’s what _boring_ people say,” Phantom agrees. Then, quirking his lips, he teases, “ _Are_ you a boring person? Is that what you’re trying to say?”

“You caught me,” Danny feigns a defeated sigh. “I’ve been exposed. For _shame_.”

Phantom cracks at that, bursting into loud, beautiful laughter. It’s as genuine as it is infectious, and it has Danny laughing along, unable to stop himself in the face of such adorable joy. This is one of his favorite things about Phantom; whenever he laughed, it was impossible _not_ to join him. 

Someone clears their throat, interrupting them.

“I thought you said you were _studying_ , not _flirting_ ,” an annoyed voice sounds behind them.

Phantom chuckles. “I’m not apologizing for having fun with my boyfriend, Ellie.”

“You _should_ , considering I had to witness your disgusting sappiness.”

“Sorry, Ellie,” Danny turns to the voice. “We got distracted.”

“This is why you’re my favorite,” Ellie’s eyes glimmer with amusement despite her annoyance, and that alone causes Danny to smile. Despite what Phantom’s cousin says about their “sap”, she’s still supportive of their relationship. She might deny it, but Danny can see the way she smiles every time Danny makes Phantom laugh.

She’s as bad as Phantom, no matter what she says. She even _looks_ like him, with the same green eyes and pearly white hair. The only difference is that she’s a girl and is _much_ shorter than her cousin. Like, a whole head and a half shorter than him.

 _Like cousin, like cousin_ , Danny thinks.

“Hey!” Phantom frowns. “I thought _I_ was your favorite.”

“Yeah, _before_ Danny came along,” she jokes. 

“Betrayed by my own family,” Phantom places a hand on his chest. Leaning into Danny’s space, Phantom rests his head on Danny’s shoulder. “Avenge me, Danny,” he wails dramatically. “ _Avenge me_.”

“The jock crumbles before the feet of a five-foot girl,” Danny sighs. “How the mighty have fallen.”

Phantom suddenly flops onto Danny’s lap, groaning, “Et tu, Brute?”

Danny can’t help the way he giggles at that. Ellie takes that cue to burst into her own fit of laughter. Just like Phantom’s, it’s loud and genuine. Not at all what he had expected when he first met her. 

Then again, nothing about her is what meets the eyes.

Finally, Ellie calms down enough to say, “So, anyway, Dad wants to see you, Phantom.”

“Vlad?” Phantom blinks. Then his expression lights up. “Does that mean-”

“Aren’t you forgetting something?” Ellie interrupts, shooting Danny a pointed look that confuses him. His confusion only grows when Phantom slaps his hands to his mouth in response.

“Shit,” he says. Then, as though remembering his audience, he repeats, “ _Shit._ Ellie, never say that word in front of Vlad. Please.”

Ellie raises a brow. “What makes you think I don’t already do that?”

Phantom splutters. He looks ready to argue more, but Danny interrupts him by pressing a kiss to his cheek. A burst of pink colors said cheek, and warmth fills Danny at the sight. “Just _go_ , idiot.”

“R-Right,” Phantom nods. “Vlad. I’ll… go now.”

Phantom scurries out of the room, but even with his back to Danny, he can see the way his boyfriend’s ears flush to their tips. 

Danny smiles again. _He really is adorable_.

“You’re _both_ terrible,” Ellie’s voice sounds. “Even when you’re alone, you pine. It’s pathetic.”

“Is it really?” Danny gives her a look, firmly ignoring his own flush. “Or am I just imagining the way you smile every time he looks happy?”

Ellie scowls, pink dusting her cheeks. “ _Terrible_ ,” she repeats. “You and him _both_.”

“Is this the part where I say you’ll understand one day?” Danny grins teasingly. “Because I’d hate to be hetero-normative.”

“Spare me the nonsense,” Ellie huffs, but he can see the way her lips twitch. “If I’m going to end up like Phantom, I don’t think I _want_ to understand.”

“What do you mean?” 

Ellie gives him a look. “You haven’t noticed?” she asks incredulously. “Ever since last week, he’s been, like, _extra_ piney. And worried. He’s all over the place, it’s driving me _crazy_.”

Danny frowns in thought. What would cause Phantom to worry so much? Nothing had happened last week except for-

He squeaks as the memory comes to him. _Prom_. _She's talking about prom._

Ellie laughs. “Wait, don’t tell me you _forgot_?”

“No!” he yelps. In fact, it’s the opposite. Given how well his _last_ dance went, the thought of prom alone made him tingle with uncertain energy. He did his best to hide it because Phantom looked so _happy_ when he’d agreed to go with him. But agreeing doesn’t mean immunity to worrying, and as hopeful as he is, he can’t help but be a little nervous. “I didn’t forget, trust me.”

Ellie stares at him for a moment, before understanding dawns on her. “Oh, you, _too_?” she shakes her head. “Unbelievable. Now this is _really_ pathetic.”

“Hey-”

“I wanted to be a good cousin and let him surprise you, but it seems I must intervene,” Ellie sighs exasperatedly. “Get up. I need to show you something.”

“What is it?” he asks, standing despite his confusion.

Ellie doesn’t answer. Instead, she walks out the room and into the little square that has multiple doors. In front of Phantom’s room is a set of double doors, which Dany assumes is the master bedroom. The door beside his room, however, is a mystery to Danny, as it’s never open whenever he visits. Almost as though she read his mind, Ellie opens the door to the room.

He blinks as he registers the sight before him. Instead of a spare bedroom like he’d been expecting, it’s something else entirely. Something entirely _messy_ , too. All around the room, scattered over the carpeted floor, are large, flat boxes. Danny can’t even count all of them. Some of them were left open, the supposed lids strewn somewhere on the floor. 

He looks at the contents of said open boxes, and his eyes widen. Inside the box is a suit, a _fancy_ and _designer_ one, from what he can tell. He looks at the other boxes, baffled to find that each and every one is equally priceless. 

“Why so many?” Danny utters. 

“Phantom couldn’t decide which to wear and told Dad to send him his personal recommendations, which led to an even bigger mess,” Ellie rolls her eyes. 

“What?”

Catching his cluelessness, Ellie gives him a flat look. “It means, genius, that Phantom is so worried, he’s resorted to worrying about his _outfit._ ”

When Danny doesn’t answer, she keeps going. “I can’t even imagine how nervous he must be if he asked my _dad_ for these. Phantom usually _hates_ asking for favors from Dad.”

“Then why…?”

“You might not see it, but Phantom _really_ wants to make prom night perfect for you,” Ellie smiles, no mockery or double-meanings in her voice. “So much so, he feels the need to choose between fifteen suits that look _exactly_ the same to me.”

“ _Oh_ ,” he breathes. 

Phantom is nervous too? Not only that, but he’s worried because of _Danny_ ? Warmth fills his chest, and it shoots right into his heart when he remembers that, despite how nervous Phantom is, he _still_ let Danny into his house, probably interrupting his suit dilemma. Judging by the mess, his boyfriend really is torn about his decision, but he still made time for Danny so that he could help him with his physics homework.

His heart swells, the warmth bubbling into something light and tingly that leaves him with burning cheeks and a wide smile.

“That idiot,” he laughs breathlessly. 

Ellie grins. “Definitely. But I’d say you’re equally stupid if this surprises you.”

“Yeah, I guess I am,” he turns his gaze to the bed, taking in the multiple different laid-out ties. He stares at the green one, so simple but practically pearlescent at the same time. _That one would match his eyes perfectly_ , he thinks. 

“ _So_ ,” Ellie drawls. “Does this mean you’ll stop being a dumbass and _relax_?”

“I don’t know. If I really am stupid, then I can’t help it, can I?” He jokes.

“Fair point,” Ellie concedes lightly. “Either way, my job here is done. Now I can go back to barfing every time Phantom makes goo-goo eyes at you.”

“You do that,” Danny laughs. 

Eventually, they leave the room, closing the door so it looks untouched. They settle back in Phantom’s room, waiting for him to return. 

Danny’s pouring over the red markings all over his practice test when he hears someone behind him say, “Sorry I took long. I had to sort something out.”

He turns to face a sheepish Phantom. “It’s fine,” he waves his hand dismissively. “I went over your corrections while you were gone.”

“That’s great!” Phantom smiles. The pride in his voice does dangerous things to Danny’s heart. “But I need to tell you something first.”

“What is it?” 

“Well, we never made plans about who would be the one doing the picking up, so, uh…” Phantom trails off. “If you don’t mind-”

“Sure,” Danny agrees easily. “What time works for you?”

Phantom pauses. Then, clearing his throat, he says, “Can we do seven-thirty? Since the dance is at eight. We can do earlier if you want-”

“It’s a date,” Danny quirks his lips.

Phantom’s smile lifts into a grin. “Alright.”

Behind Phantom, Ellie mimics vomiting. 

* * *

Two days later find Danny standing in front of a full-length mirror, nervously adjusting his blue tie. He’s so busy fiddling with it, he doesn’t notice Jazz sneaking up on him until she taps his shoulder. 

“Jazz!” he yelps, whirling around to face her. “Am I tying this right? I’m not sure-”

“You look _fine_ , Danny,” Jazz puts a hand on his shoulder. She sends him a reassuring smile, her eyes glowing fondly.

“You think so?” He asks tentatively.

“I _know_ so.”

He smiles. “Thanks.”

“I’m just telling you the truth,” Jazz shrugs. Her lips lift into a teasing grin as she says, “Phantom won’t know what hit him.”

Danny flushes. “I… I’m not sure about that.”

“Danny,” her voice quiets into something gentle. “I know you’re worried. I _do_. But I also know that this year will be different.”

“That’s what I keep telling myself,” Danny admits, looking down. “But then I remember freshman year, and…” he swallows. “It…. scares me.”

He startles when Jazz lifts his head by the chin. Her face is solemn, but also kind, and it leaves Danny feeling something warm and familiar. “You have every right to be,” Jazz says. “But this year, you have a date that you actually _know,_ and you _know_ he cares about you, and you _know_ he’s a complete and total dork. Right?”

“Yeah,” Danny breathes. “He is.”

“Then, knowing all that,” Jazz smiles. “Just _trust_ him, and trust that he’ll do his best to show you the time of your life. And if anything happens… trust he’ll be right there with you, whether to protect or stand by you.”

 _Trust him_. It’s that simple, isn’t it? There’s still that lingering fear of reliving that night, but the more Danny thinks about Phantom, from his loud laughter to his sparkling eyes, the further the worries seem. Then, he remembers the messy room, suits strewn around in a wave of indecisiveness, and his lips twitch slightly.

You can’t fake emotions like that. _Especially_ when you’re as obvious as Phantom.

“You’re right,” he smiles. 

“Of course, I am,” Jazz huffs. “Who do you take me for?”

“A nosy sister that doesn’t know when to butt out of things?” he grins.

“Hey!” she punches his shoulder lightly. 

“But, really,” Danny says, “Thank you. I needed to hear that.”

“I’m always here if you need me,” her expression softens. Holding out an arm, she jokes, “Shall we walk down the red carpet now?”

Danny laughs, linking his arm with hers. “We shall.”

They walk out into the hallway, making their way toward the stairs, only for Danny to pause. Because there is an _actual_ red carpet laid out on the stairs. 

“What…?”

Jazz nudges him. “I told you. The night of your life.”

By the time they’re downstairs, Danny’s practically glowing. As soon as his feet touch the floor, Mom and Dad walk up to him, each with a warm expression of their own as they smile at him. 

“Oh, baby,” Mom cups his face. “You look so _handsome_.”

“You _picked_ the suit, Mom.”

“I know,” she smiles. “But that doesn’t change how good you look in it.”

“She’s right,” Dad grins. “That boy won’t know what hit him!”

“That’s what I said!” Jazz laughs.

“Dad!” if this keeps up, Danny’s cheeks will be permanently red.

“Speaking _of_ that boy,” Dad continues. “Do you think he has time to come in first? Maddie and I wanted to talk to him-”

“ _No!_ ” he splutters.

Dad frowns. “But… we had a script and everything!”

Mom pats Dad’s arm consolingly. “Maybe next time, honey.”

Danny pauses. Then, squinting at his parents, he asks, “Are you planning something?”

“Why do you say that?” Mom asks in amusement.

“You _never_ agree this easily. What's the deal?”

Dad looks ready to say something, but an elbow from Mom stops him. Sighing, he instead says, “This is a special night for you, son. We just want you to have fun. And even if _I_ think we should talk to your boyfriend first-”

“ _Jack_.”

“It’s not about what _I_ think. It’s about _you_. So I’ll hold out. For now.” Dad finishes.

Danny’s chest warms dangerously. “I… thank you.”

Mom smiles. She parts her lips to say something, but a knock at the door interrupts her. “There he is.” She reaches for Danny’s tie, adjusting it slightly, and smoothes down his hair. “Go get him,” she grins.

Danny swallows. He walks toward the door, every footstep feeling like added fuel to his racing heart, and tries to take a deep breath. _It’s just Phantom_ , he reasons with himself. _There’s nothing to be nervous about._

He opens the door.

The first thing he sees is black. Black jacket, black pants, and black shoes. And as his eyes trail up, other colors come to mine. Brown and silver for a belt, white for a dress shirt, green for a familiar pearlescent tie. Then, finally, his eyes fall on a face; precious pink for cheeks and glowing green for eyes. 

Phantom smiles hesitantly. “Hi.”

“Hi,” Danny utters breathlessly.

For a moment, they just stare at each other. Then, Phantom clears his throat awkwardly, and that’s when Danny finally notices there’s something, no, _two_ somethings, in his other hand. The one that he raises tentatively as he says, “I was planning on saying something stupid and cheesy, but I figured you’d just laugh at me if I did that. So…”

“I would,” Danny’s lips twitch. “But I can hold it back if that’ll make you feel better?”

“You don’t have to,” Phantom fumbles with the objects. “I happen to really like your laugh.”

“Oh,” he exhales. “That’s… that’s still really cheesy.”

“I knew it,” Phantom groans. “What I _mean_ to say, or, er, do, more like…”

“Yes?” Danny smiles, fond amusement rising at the adorable sight.

Phantom catches his smile and pauses. He shakes his head. “I’m being stupid, sorry,” then, flushing, he says, “I just… you look… really good.”

Danny’s face bursts into flame. “Y-You, too. I… really like the tie.”

Phantom glances down at said tie. “Ellie said you would,” he huffs out a laugh. Then he holds out his hand, revealing what he’s been holding onto. “She… also said you’d like this.”

It’s a blue rose, the kind Danny’s seen people put in their suit pockets for fancy parties. There’s another one, a green one, and Phantom seems to remember that as he plucks it out of his fist. “N-Not that one, I was supposed to wear that before I knocked, but I kind of forgot-”

Unable to help himself, he lets out a quiet laugh. “It’s fine,” he smiles. Reaching out, he grabs the green flower gently, and Phantom lets him. Then, shyly, he places it in its rightful place, right above Phantom’s heart, which he can feel through his palm.

 _His heart is racing, too_ , he realizes.

“Danny?” Phantom asks above him.

He pulls away, coughing. “I’m not sure I placed it right, but…” he gives Phantom a once-over. “It’s nice. _You’re_ nice.”

Phantom’s expression steadies, and his lips rise into a smile. Then, mimicking Danny, he places the blue flower tenderly in Danny’s breast pocket. “Not so bad yourself,” Phantom grins. 

Danny giggles, feeling a rush in his entire being. “Thank you.”

Phantom parts his lips to respond, but something makes him pause. Judging by the large shadow…

Danny groans. “ _Dad_.”

“My son better come home with a big smile and nothing less,” Dad says behind him. “If I see _anything_ else…”

“If that happens, sir,” Phantom looks up to meet his dad’s eyes, “Then I’ll take whatever you have in mind. But just know,” he reaches out and grabs Danny’s hand gently. “If it were up to me, I would never let _anyone_ hurt him. Not even myself.”

Danny flushes, feeling like his entire body is on fire now. He can’t even form an answer to that, so he just stands there stupidly, and settles with squeezing Phantom’s hand as a response. 

“Good,” Dad rumbles. Then, in a much lighter tone than before, he says, “Remember, curfew is eleven. Other than that, have fun, boys.”

“Thank you, Mr. Fenton,” Phantom answers. Then, he turns to Danny, flashing him a smile that does dangerous things to his already weak heart. “Ready?”

Danny doesn’t hesitate. “Ready.”

* * *

There is nothing quite like riding in a fancy limousine. But then again, Danny doubts he’d feel this overwhelmed if he was riding it _alone_. Somehow, just Phantom’s presence acts as both fuel and breaks. He’s a steady, comfortable presence sitting next to Danny, talking animatedly about how he borrowed the car from his rich uncle, and a pulsating, energetic battery that sent electricity right through Danny’s veins every time he laughed during his story.

It doesn’t feel like a far ride; logic says it’s because the school is a walking distance from Danny’s house, but emotion says it’s because time always flies when he’s with his boyfriend. Either way, they arrive far too soon for Danny’s liking. 

“We’re here,” Phantom says.

“Yeah,” Danny nods. “Now we… get out, I guess.”

 _You’ve got this_ , he tells himself. _You’re with Phantom this time. Nothing will happen._

He takes a deep breath, but pauses when a warm hand envelopes his own. He drags his eyes away from the bustling entrance, setting them on Phantom. His expression is carefully blank for a moment, but then he smiles gently and squeezes Danny’s hand. 

“I’m ready when you are, starlight,” Phantom says, like it’s so easy to just leave such a decision to Danny. Who knows when he will cave and turn back? He’s impulsive, he could do that right now-

But he knows he won’t.

Danny inhales. _I deserve this._ Exhale. _Phantom, too._

“I’m ready,” Danny nods. 

He opens the car door, stepping out tentatively just as the buzz of the crowd reaches them. Phantom follows him, their hands never separating. He’s aware of the car driving away behind them, but that barely registers compared to the conflicting feelings of Phantom’s hand and the crowd’s murmuring.

Strangely, Phantom doesn’t move. Not until Danny takes the first step. And the next. And the next. 

Eventually, they reach the gates of the gymnasium. With Phantom moving in-sync with him, Danny finds that even when the doors are wide open, he doesn’t hesitate to step in.

Which is why, when the booming music hits his ears, he has to pause. He glances back at the door, surprised at how seamless the motion felt. When he looks back toward Phantom, he finds that, for some reason, his boyfriend is smiling proudly at him. And while Phantom might not know the reason behind his hesitation, Danny still feels a rush of joy at the sight of pride.

Phantom clears his throat, and Danny looks over at him. Even under the bright, colorful lights of the room, Danny can see the flush dusting his boyfriend’s cheeks. 

“I don’t know if I’m doing this in the right order, but…” after a beat, Phantom holds out his free hand, the one not busy squeezing Danny’s, and asks, “Would you join me for a dance?”

It’s awkward in the most endearing way possible, and it’s so very _Phantom_ , it leaves Danny smiling helplessly. His hand moves on its own, reaching out to place itself gently in Phantom’s waiting palm. “Always.”

Phantom beams. He doesn’t answer verbally; the way he eagerly walks forward and tugs Danny along speaks volumes of his joy. It’s a bit weird, seeing as both his hands are being held, but he doesn’t mind it one bit. Especially when he sees the way Phantom’s smile never wavers, even as he pushes his way through the crowd.

Finally, they wind up in an empty spot near the center. For a moment, Phantom says nothing, but then their eyes meet, and his lips twitch. “I have to confess,” he says, “I don’t know how to dance. I’m hoping we can just… wing it?”

Danny laughs. “That’s the best strategy there is, Phantom.”

“I don’t know,” he grins. “That’s not exactly a game-winning plan in football.”

Placing a hand on Phantom’s shoulder, Danny smiles, “Don’t be silly. This is _dancing_ , not football.”

“Oh, yeah?” Phantom raises a brow, placing a hand at Danny’s waist. “If I’m so silly, why don’t you show me the ropes?”

Danny flushes. “I was leading last time. Unless you want to switch…”

“Nah,” Phantom’s grin turns sly. “I think I quite like being able to sweep you off your feet.”

“You really like cheese, don’t you?” Danny shakes his head. “It’s as simple as two steps forward, and one step back. I think. It’s been a while since I had to dance, so-” he doesn’t get the chance to finish, as a surprised squeak leaves his lips when he’s suddenly _falling_ -

And then he’s caught. He looks up, ready to scold Phantom, but his breath leaves him in a gasp. Phantom’s eyes are _glowing_ as he stares down at Danny with a juvenile expression on his face. Smirking like the mischievous ass that he is, Phantom says, “Would you look at that, the star fell for me.”

A strangled noise leaves his throat. “You did _not_ just make a _double_ pun, you _ass_.”

“Whatchu gonna do about it?” Phantom teases.

Danny jumps out of Phantom’s arm, startling his boyfriend enough for him to sweep a leg out and trip him into Danny’s arms instead. Looking down at a flustered Phantom, a satisfying warmth fills his heart. “ _This._ ”

Phantom pouts. “You cheated!”

“Did I?” he puts on his best innocent face.

“So this is how you’re gonna play?” Phantom’s lips twitch. “Fine, you asked for this.” Then, immediately, he kicks Danny’s right foot. And in Danny’s surprise, Phantom takes the chance to grab Danny’s arm, twirling him until he’s dizzy and then pulling him toward Phantom’s chest, which vibrates with laughter.

In response, Danny’s steps on Phantom’s foot, getting a yelp out of him. “Hey!”

“That’s what you get for pulling something like that.”

“I can do it again,” Phantom breathes, the distance between them feeling like much less than a few inches. 

“I dare you,” Danny whispers, smiling despite himself.

“ _Gladly_.”

Danny isn’t even sure what they’re doing can be considered dancing anymore; unless you count purposefully stepping on your partner’s feet to trip them up as dancing. It’s a mess of yelps, gasps, and squeals, but above all of that, the distinct sound of pure, boundless laughter dominates, filling the cracks and the spaces between them. They’re probably terribly out-of-sync with whatever song is playing, but it barely reaches Danny’s ears. There’s no better music than the sound of Phantom’s delighted laughter.

High on the magic of the moment, Danny can’t help the way he giggles when they come to a still. “I can almost call you a natural,” he teases. “Who knew jocks have it in them to dance?”

Phantom tries to frown, but fails. “I’ll have you know, football requires some _good_ foot maneuvering.”

“Uh-huh,” Danny rolls his eyes. “And falling like a newborn fawn is a part of that maneuvering?”

“Oh, because _you_ have all the grace of a ballerina,” Phantom says pointedly.

“Who’s to say I wasn’t just holding back?” Danny grins, pressing closer to Phantom. “Maybe I just felt bad for your lack of experience and did you a favor.”

Phantom laughs, his breath on Danny’s skin tingling pleasantly. “Is that so?” he murmurs, falling into the silence of the slow song playing above them. “In that case, I suppose I should thank you for your kindness, shouldn’t I?”

Flushing, Danny smiles, “And how would you do that?”

Their eyes meet, and it feels like a live wire is crackling between them, pulling them together as their lips brush-

_Beeeeeep!_

Danny almost jumps out of his skin, but Phantom’s hands on his hips hold him down. 

“In a few minutes, we’ll be announcing our royal court!” a peppy voice sounds. “If you have any last-minute votes, come up to our set-up in the corner so that we can count all the votes and announce our winners!”

Danny sighs. “Right. I forgot about the whole court thing.” He looks at Phantom, about to continue, but pauses when he notices the way his boyfriend’s expression had shifted to one of worry.

“Phantom?” 

“You don’t think someone nominated me, do you?” Phantom asks worriedly. Then, frantically, he adds, “This isn’t me being egotistic or anything, but-”

“It’s fine,” Danny interrupts. “And, honestly, I wouldn’t be too surprised, considering you’re, well, _you_.” teasingly, he asks, “Are you nervous, is that it?”

“Of course,” Phantom frowns. “If I win, I’ll have to take a picture with someone who isn’t _you_ ,” then, with a shiver, “like _Paulina_.”

Danny twitches, remembering that, yes, Paulina _does,_ in fact, win Prom Queen every single year. Just thinking of the way she would drape herself over his boyfriend sours his mood. It’s not enough that she ruined his last dance, but now she might ruin this one too-

“Hey,” Phantom’s voice cuts through his spiraling thoughts. “Stop that.”

Danny looks up, pausing when Phantom’s hand reaches for his cheeks, gently caressing them. Smiling, Phantom says, “Let’s go outside for a minute. I heard the pictures are being taken at some fancy set-up outside the gym.”

“Really? I didn’t see anything on our way here.”

“If you’ll let me,” Phantom offers his hand, “I can lead the way.”

“Why not?” Danny accepts, joining their hands. “I can use the air, anyway.”

Phantom tugs him toward a set of doors on the other side of the gym, which Danny recognizes as one way to get to the football field. He hides a laugh when he notices the way Phantom exaggerates looking around, like he’s some spy in an action movie. Then, before anyone can see them, they step out, closing the doors gently behind them.

Their eyes meet just as the doors close silently, and like a spell of silence has been lifted, they burst into childish giggles. It feels like Danny is eight again, playing spy by trying to take a peek into his parents’ downstairs lab. It’s a delightful feeling to share with Phantom, and they spend a whole minute indulging in it. 

Phantom shoots him a grin. “We should do that again sometime.”

“What, sneak around and get ourselves detention?”

“They can’t give us detention if they never catch us.”

“Touché.”

“And now, the grand prize,” Phantom says. He looks over his shoulder, and Danny follows his gaze.

His eyes widen when he sees that it’s an _actual_ gazebo. It even looks handmade, with its oddly shaped wooden beams, some looking different from the rest. It’s painted a bright white, with silver stars plastered all over it. The roof isn’t even a roof, it’s a net of flowers and leaves. It’s so simple and knick-knacky, and yet…

“Wow…”

“The Activities Committee did a good job on it,” Phantom comments, stepping closer to examine it. 

“Definitely,” Danny agrees. Curious, he lets go of Phantom’s hand to step inside the structure, looking up at the net. It’s an odd sight, but he finds that it’s also beautiful, with any flowerless spots revealing the twinkling stars above them. The combination of two of nature’s most enchanting gifts adding a magical feel to the whole thing.

Danny finally tears his eyes away from it, looking for Phantom with a compliment on his tongue, only to pause when he sees his boyfriend is staring at him.

“What?” 

Almost dazedly, Phantom answers, “You’re beautiful.”

“Oh,” he utters. His cheeks become an inferno, and all sense of comprehension abandons him. It practically evaporates when Phantom steps closer, joining him under the blanket of nature as he reaches out to connect their hands. 

“I’m really glad you came with me, Danny,” Phantom smiles. “I’ve never been to a dance before, and it makes me so happy to have experienced this first with you.” Then, with an adorable pink dusting his cheeks and a colorful hope tinting his voice, he stutters, “I… this might be a little ambitious, but… I’m hoping that you’ll… continue to do more firsts with me?”

His heart skips a beat, each word hitting harder and harder until Danny’s chest _hurts,_ but in a good way. In a way that leaves him breathless as each and every breath he takes is captivated by shining green eyes that speak of so much more than hope.

“ _Always_ ,” Danny whispers. “You don’t even need to ask me. I… that’s all I want to do, Phantom.”

“Really?” he smiles.

“This wasn’t my first dance, but…” he squeezes Phantom’s hand. “You turned a sour memory into something so much better. If this is how it’ll be for the rest of _us_ , I want it. All of it.”

“ _Danny_ ,” Phantom utters, a touch surprised, a touch delighted, and a touch enchanted. “I- _Always_.”

Danny giggles, high on the euphoria and joy. “Hey, use your own words!”

“Why would I do that when yours are so perfect?”

“ _Now_ who’s cheating?”

Phantom chuckles. “It’s not cheating, it’s _borrowing_.”

“Yeah, okay,” Danny huffs out a laugh. 

Silence settles over them, but for once, Danny feels no need to fill it with words. All he wants to do is keep staring at the sky above them and enjoy the feeling of Phantom’s hand warmly wrapped around his. 

The universe doesn’t seem to agree, as no less than a minute later, the double doors burst open.

Danny jumps, whirling around to see Kwan and some other boy placing weights in front of the doors. Then Kwan looks up, noticing them.

“Hey guys!” He calls. “They’re about to announce the royal court, you should come back inside.”

“Noted!” Phantom answers, but doesn’t move.

Kwan looks ready to say something else, but just as he parts his lips, the speakers sound again, their annoying beep reaching as far as the football field. 

“And this year’s prom king and queen are… Phantom and Paulina!” the girl announces cheerfully, like it’s the best news in the world. It might as well be the opposite to Danny.

Danny sighs. Shooting Phantom a weak smile, he says, “You should probably go in there now.”

Phantom’s brows furrow. “Danny-”

“It’s just a crown and a picture,” Danny interrupts. “It’s fine, really.”

Phantom’s gaze doesn’t leave his face, even as the sound of cheering reaches their ears. Suddenly, his eyes seem to light up, and Danny’s seen that expression enough times to know that it means Phantom got an idea. And judging by the twitch of his lips…

“Phantom,” Danny warns. “Don’t try anything crazy.”

“I won’t, I won’t!” Phantom shakes his head, his grin unwavering. Before Danny can even respond to that, he tugs at their hands. “Come on, let’s go collect our crown.”

Danny’s so focused on the strange feeling in his chest, something torn between pleasant warmth and burning heat, he completely misses the way Phantom phrased his answer. He’s even more distracted when Phantom squeezes his hand and starts moving off the platform, pulling Danny along with him.

 _He isn’t planning on taking the crown with me holding his hand, is he?_ Danny worries. _Although, it_ does _sound like something he would do…_

“Phantom,” Danny says. “You should probably let go now.”

“Why?” Phantom hums.

“Paulina is prom queen, you can’t-”

“I can and I will.”

There’s an argument at the tip of his tongue, but he doesn’t get to say it before they’re stepping back into the gym. As soon as they, or rather, Phantom is spotted, the crowd bursts into cheers once again.

“There’s my king!” Paulina crows. She walks toward them, her eyes solely on Phantom. The crown on her head seems to compliment her confident walk, so much so she _looks_ the part of a queen, too. 

Danny swallows nervously when she’s finally close enough for her liking, which is far _too_ close for _his_ own liking. Phantom seems to agree, his hand tightening around Danny’s as though asking for support. He does the same, answering his boyfriend’s unspoken question.

“Paulina,” Phantom answers calmly. “Where’s my crown?”

Paulina smiles. “Right here,” she holds up what looks to be a plastic imitation of a king’s crown; its color is a deep golden yellow, with multiple blue “gems” about an inch apart from each other. There’s even a line of fancy material lining the bottom. 

“Now, if the _freak_ will step away,” Paulina shoots Danny a glare. “I’m about to crown _my_ king.”

An unpleasant knot forms in his stomach. He doesn’t _want_ to. He doesn't want Paulina of all people to bask in the glory of being Phantom’s “partner”. He doesn’t want to give her that satisfaction, not after all she’s done to him.

Swallowing past his nerves, Danny says, “No.”

“Excuse me?” Paulina scowls. “That wasn’t a _question_.”

“My answer is still the same,” he says, trying his best to sound firm.

“Was I not clear enough?” Paulina hisses. “I can _ruin_ you, Fenton. _Again._ So don’t _try_ me.”

Danny flinches at the reminder, but refuses to let that shake him. “S-Still-”

“You were plenty clear,” Phantom interrupts, an odd lilt to his voice. “Clear that you’re a complete and total _bitch_ , that is.”

“ _Excuse me?_ ” Paulina screeches. 

“Oh, no, you’re _not_ excused,” Phantom goes on, his voice only getting harsher. “There are _a lot_ of things that come to mind right now, but I won’t say them because Danny, my _boyfriend_ , deserves better than that.”

His heart racing, his cheeks burning, and his hands trembling, Danny is struck speechless. Before he can even _begin_ to unpackage that statement, Phantom surprises him yet again by reaching out to grab the crown from Paulina’s hands. This should be when Danny does a mental cheer, but he’s a far cry from cheering when Phantom then proceeds to _break the crown in half_.

The crowd gasps, but none are as shocked as Danny, who jumps when Phantom whirls around to face him, cradling the broken pieces between both of his hands. When had he even dropped Danny’s hand? God, there is so much _happening_ right now-

“Danny,” Phantom’s voice pulls him out of the thick goop in his head. “I know what you said earlier, but I have to disagree. _This_ ,” he holds up the pieces, “is so much more than just a crown. Because wearing it alone would mean that I have to pretend to be someone I’m not. And I can’t do that. Not to me, and not to you.”

“Phantom,” he whispers, a rush of emotion flooding through his entire being.

Phantom swallows, but his eyes never waver, never look away from Danny even as he fumbles to maneuver both pieces into one of his hands. “I can’t wear this crown alone because that would be a lie. I’m not a king when I’m alone, but I am when I’m with you.”

All the air in his chest seems to escape him at that moment, leaving for him dead as he gapes stupidly at his boyfriend, his eyes wide and his lips trembling. “What?” 

Phantom seems to understand the absolute chaos he’d caused, because all he does is smile, something not quite a grin but also not a smirk. It’s something both genuine and juvenile, and if Danny had any breath left in him, it would leave him just because of that smile. 

“Danny, I get the feeling you’re overthinking this,” Phantom laughs. “Let me simplify it for you.” And, like it’s the easiest thing in the world, he reaches forward, and gently places one half of the crown on Danny’s head. Then, he places the second half on his own head. 

“ _Now_ I’m a king,” Phantom smiles, his hand finding Danny’s tremulous one once again. 

“You _dork_ ,” Danny hiccups. “How can you just _do_ things like that?”

“What can I say,” Phantom shrugs with a grin on his face. “You do crazy things to me.”

Danny’s about to reply, but he’s interrupted when Paulina yells, “What are you _doing_ ? You’re not supposed to do that! _You’re_ king and _I’m_ queen. Not _him!_ ”

“Well, duh,” Phantom rolls his eyes. “Danny isn’t a girl, silly.”

“ _Silly_?” she hisses. 

“Yeah, _silly_ ,” Phantom drawls. “But don’t worry! We can still take a picture together, but you’ll have to accept that Danny has to be in it too.”

“Phantom!” Danny whispers. “We can’t-”

“Sure we can!” Phantom grins. “It’s the same crown, isn’t it? That means we’re _both_ prom king.”

A burst of laughter sounds from the crowd. Looking over, Danny finds that it’s Kwan, trying and failing to stifle his laughter into his hand. It sparks a wave, and suddenly everyone else is laughing. Danny’s pretty sure he even heard someone yell “Gay rights, hell yeah!”

Paulina screams, silencing the crowd. Yanking the tiara from her head, she yells, “Fine! Do whatever the hell you want! I deserve better than some cheap plastic tiara, anyway!” With that, she stomps away, and the crowd easily parts for her. 

Danny watches her back as it disappears farther and farther until it’s no longer within his sight. His heart seems to find balance, too, as the moment she vanishes, it feels like a _rock_ has been lifted off of Danny’s shoulders. His shoulders relax, his heart steadies, and his breath returns.

It startles him to realize that, this time, _Paulina_ is the one walking away.

“Oh my god,” Danny gasps. He turns to Phantom, repeating, “ _Oh my god!_ ”

A nameless emotion fills his heart, and it has him so overwhelmed, so _happy_ , he can’t stop himself from throwing his arms around Phantom’s shoulders, pressing into his neck as he pulls his boyfriend close. Phantom doesn’t hesitate to return the hug, his arms wrapping around Danny like a warm blanket on a chilly day. It fills every corner of his body with warmth, leaving a pleasant tingle behind.

“Thank you,” Danny whispers. There’s _so much_ he wants to say, but that’s all he can manage in his state of heart and mind.

“I told you, Danny,” Phantom presses a kiss to his brow. “ _Always_.”

Danny’s perfectly content just standing there for the rest of the night, but a loud cough reminds him just where they’re standing. Flushing, he tries to pull away, but he doesn’t get very far; he shoots his boyfriend a scolding look, but Phantom ignores it and settles with wrapping an arm around his waist, pressing their hips together. 

Danny supposes he _should_ be annoyed, but all he feels is a wave of fond exasperation. And judging by Phantom’s shameless smirk, he knows exactly what he’s doing. 

Shaking his head, Danny looks at Kwan. “That’s the best I can manage, it seems. Sorry.”

“Not your fault your boyfriend is so clingy,” Kwan waves a dismissive hand. Then, directed at Phantom, he adds, “but you _do_ need to let go for a moment if you want to take that picture with your king.”

His cheeks burn at the title, but all Phantom does is laugh. “You bet I do!” Tapping Danny’s hip with a finger, he grins down at him. “Well, _your majesty_?”

“Shut _up!_ ” Danny giggles. “You’re so embarrassing!”

“You love it.”

“I _guess_. I can’t do anything about it, you know?”

“Hey!”

Kwan sighs loudly. “ _Guys_.”

Phantom huffs. “Kwan, that is breaking so _many_ rules in the Dude Code. you’re supposed to high-five me or something!”

“No thanks,” Kwan scrunches his face. “Who knows how much sap is on your hands right now.”

Danny laughs at that, which causes Phantom to give him a betrayed look. “Sorry,” he bites his lip. “You’re just… you’re acting like the _farthest_ thing from a king right now.”

“Is there such a thing as a prom _jester_?” Kwan grins. “Because-”

“ _Dude!_ ”

“Okay, okay,” Danny relents. Patting Phantom’s face consolingly, he smiles, “Let’s go get that picture, okay?”

Phantom grabs Danny’s hand before he can pull it away, pressing a kiss into the palm, and another one onto the back of it. “It would be my pleasure,” he says, so boyishly charming with his twinkling eyes and toothy smile.

Danny’s cheeks ache from how much he’s smiled and laughed tonight, but it’s a nice ache, the kind he’ll wake up with tomorrow as a reminder of just how much fun he had with his amazing, adorable, dorky boyfriend. 

And even when he wakes up, it’ll be like he’s still inside this dream. Maybe he’ll relive it in his sleep tonight. Maybe he’ll relive it when he sees their picture sitting in a glass display tomorrow. Or maybe, just maybe, he’ll relive it every single day, whenever he looks at Phantom and remembers just how much this boy means to him.

Whatever happens, he knows this is a dream that will never leave him. Because it isn’t just a dream anymore, but a _reality_. A reality that’s so vivid, he’ll remember every single detail.

But whether it’s a dream or a reality doesn’t matter, because Danny knows this isn’t the last time he’ll feel like this. Not when Phantom will always be there to serve as a constant reminder of his euphoria. 

“Phantom?”

Phantom turns his face to him. “Yeah?”

Danny leans forward, pressing a kiss to Phantom’s cheek. And then, he whispers the words that have been sitting in his heart all day long. 

Phantom’s eyes widen, and in that moment, the camera flashes.

(The next day, the photo of Danny kissing a wide-eyed Phantom sparks rumors across the entire school. No one can guess what it is that caused their prized quarterback to look so flustered, but the boys in question know, and it’s no secret just how happy the words make them.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I quite literally slaved over this, so feedback is much appreciated uwu

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed that :D More to come soon! Check out my Tumblr (kattythingz) if you wanna chat!


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